Molding material and fiber-reinforced composite material

Abstract

A molding material that enables acquirement of a fiber-reinforced composite material which has excellent demoldability from a mold and excellent surface appearance, which contaminates a mold surface after molding less, and which has excellent mechanical properties and heat resistance; and a fiber-reinforced composite material which has excellent demoldability from a mold and surface appearance, which contaminates a mold surface after molding less, and which has excellent mechanical properties and heat resistance, are provided. A molding material of the present invention includes a component (A): an epoxy resin; a component (B): an epoxy resin curing agent; a component (C): a compound that has a solubility parameter of 11.2 or less and a melting point of 115° C. or lower; and a reinforcement fiber.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A molding material, comprising:
 a matrix resin composition; and 
 a reinforcement fiber mixed with the matrix resin composition, 
 wherein the matrix resin composition is an epoxy resin composition that comprises:
 a component (A): an epoxy resin; 
 a component (B): an epoxy resin curing agent; and 
 a component (C): a compound selected from the group consisting of ester compounds of a fatty acid and a fatty alcohol, ester compounds of a polyvalent carboxylic acid and a fatty alcohol, ester compounds of a polyhydric alcohol and a fatty acid, fatty alcohols, and metal salts of fatty acids, wherein the compound has a solubility parameter of 11.2 or less and a melting point of 115° C. or lower. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The molding material according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one kind of compounds contained for the component (C) is a compound having a solubility parameter of 8.0 to 9.6, or 10.3 to 10.9. 
     
     
       3. The molding material according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one kind of compounds contained for the component (C) is a compound having a melting point of −30° C. or higher and 115° C. or lower. 
     
     
       4. The molding material according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one kind of epoxy resin curing agents contained for the component (B) is at least one of a polyamine-based compound and an acid anhydride-based compound. 
     
     
       5. The molding material according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one kind of epoxy resin curing agents contained for the component (B) is an alicyclic diamine. 
     
     
       6. The molding material according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one kind of epoxy resin curing agents contained for the component (B) is dicyandiamide. 
     
     
       7. The molding material according to  claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement fiber is a carbon fiber. 
     
     
       8. The molding material according to  claim 1 , which is a sheet molding compound. 
     
     
       9. A fiber-reinforced composite material which is a cured product of the molding material according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
       10. A molding material, comprising:
 a matrix resin composition; and 
 a reinforcement fiber impregnated with the matrix resin composition, 
 wherein the matrix composition is an epoxy resin composition that comprises:
 a component (A): an epoxy resin; 
 a component (B): an epoxy resin curing agent; and 
 a component (C): a compound which is at least one selected from the group consisting of an ester compound having an alkyl group having 5 to 40 carbon atoms and a fatty alcohol having an alkyl group having 5 to 40 carbon atoms. 
 
 
     
     
       11. The molding material according to  claim 10 , wherein at least one kind of compounds contained for the component (C) is an aliphatic compound having a hydroxyl group, and wherein the aliphatic compound is the ester compound, the fatty alcohol, or both. 
     
     
       12. The molding material according to  claim 11 , wherein the at least one kind of compounds contained for the component (C) is a sorbitan fatty acid ester. 
     
     
       13. The molding material according to  claim 12 , wherein the at least one kind of compounds contained for the component (C) is sorbitan monostearate. 
     
     
       14. A method for manufacturing the molding material according to  claim 10 , the method comprising:
 preparing the epoxy resin composition comprising the component (A), the component (B), and the component (C); and 
 impregnating the reinforcement fiber with the epoxy resin composition as a matrix composition. 
 
     
     
       15. The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the epoxy resin composition at least contains an aliphatic compound having a hydroxyl group as the component (C), and wherein the aliphatic compound is the ester compound, the fatty alcohol, or both. 
     
     
       16. The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the epoxy resin composition at least contains a sorbitan fatty acid ester as the component (C). 
     
     
       17. The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the epoxy resin composition at least contains sorbitan monostearate as the component (C). 
     
     
       18. The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the reinforcement fiber is a carbon fiber. 
     
     
       19. The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the molding material is a sheet molding compound.